Headlight from hell!
05-29-2009 | 12:33 AM
#1
Headlight from hell! My old headlight problem reared it's ugly head again tonight! I already have another post going regarding my car not starting sometimes and my having to tighten the red battery cable/terminal to really really tight levels to get it to connect and start. Bad cable, bad connector, new battery so not that? ANYWAYS......problem number two! Maybe related, maybe not.
Basically it's annoying enough that I'm going to have to do some searches and perhaps start another thread on it. What's happening is that when I turn the car on at night, and then release the e-brake, the headlights pop up (that is normal and they should automatically pop up when it is dark outside). But the problem is the fact that once in a blue moon only ONE headlight pops up, only the drivers side NOT the passengers side? Wtf? It ONLY does this when the lights "auto pop-up" at night (usually they BOTH pop up but on rare occassion, only the driver's side pops up) NOT when I manually turn them on myself. It only seems to occur when they turn themselves on in low light levels, but not when the car is already running (like when going through a tunnel-it doesn't act up then). ONLY when the car is OFF, being started at night once the e-brake is released. Even then when these conditions are met it's only once in awhile.
Once this happens I try to turn the light switch off and on (which is still in the off position) to get them BOTH then on. The problem is the damn things won't turn off on these cars when it's dark out once they have been activated in this manner. So I have to turn the engine off and then start the car again and all is well after doing that and BOTH lights actually pop up. Anyone know why only one light would pop up when activated by low light upon startup, before even getting the chance to turn the switch on? Any ideas guys???
Side note: I already had to replace the the pass side headlight since it appeared to have filled with an inch or so of water (strange for a sealed beam). The harness looked a little corroded at the time come to think of it. Could this cause the light to not come one (in certain conditions) and cause a short and not let the car start? If so, why does it start after tightening the cable connector to the battery more? It's gotta be all related, maybe the car is not getting a good power current through the battery cable (faulty cable) or maybe the water is getting into the pass. side light/harness and shorting everything out once in awhile (I've read on here that the passenger side one is more susceptable to water).
Anyone? Thanks for any help here guys. __________________
Basically it's annoying enough that I'm going to have to do some searches and perhaps start another thread on it. What's happening is that when I turn the car on at night, and then release the e-brake, the headlights pop up (that is normal and they should automatically pop up when it is dark outside). But the problem is the fact that once in a blue moon only ONE headlight pops up, only the drivers side NOT the passengers side? Wtf? It ONLY does this when the lights "auto pop-up" at night (usually they BOTH pop up but on rare occassion, only the driver's side pops up) NOT when I manually turn them on myself. It only seems to occur when they turn themselves on in low light levels, but not when the car is already running (like when going through a tunnel-it doesn't act up then). ONLY when the car is OFF, being started at night once the e-brake is released. Even then when these conditions are met it's only once in awhile.
Once this happens I try to turn the light switch off and on (which is still in the off position) to get them BOTH then on. The problem is the damn things won't turn off on these cars when it's dark out once they have been activated in this manner. So I have to turn the engine off and then start the car again and all is well after doing that and BOTH lights actually pop up. Anyone know why only one light would pop up when activated by low light upon startup, before even getting the chance to turn the switch on? Any ideas guys???
Side note: I already had to replace the the pass side headlight since it appeared to have filled with an inch or so of water (strange for a sealed beam). The harness looked a little corroded at the time come to think of it. Could this cause the light to not come one (in certain conditions) and cause a short and not let the car start? If so, why does it start after tightening the cable connector to the battery more? It's gotta be all related, maybe the car is not getting a good power current through the battery cable (faulty cable) or maybe the water is getting into the pass. side light/harness and shorting everything out once in awhile (I've read on here that the passenger side one is more susceptable to water).
Anyone? Thanks for any help here guys. __________________
05-29-2009 | 12:30 PM
#2
NonGoogleGuy told me on my other thread (Possessed Firehawk: Revisited) that it could be my altenator. This is very possible so I'll have to check this out tomorrow when I'm off. Any other ideas guys just in case that's not the problem?